Action Park in Fuquay-Varina

 

Action Park in Fuquay-Varina was not without merit, but I am not sure I'll go back there anytime soon. There was broken glass and trash all over this park, not to mention the profanity and obscene drawings on the interior of the jungle gym equipment. The only place that seemed to be clear of the debris was the softball fields and press boxes that overlook them. (This is the park located off of Wake Chapel Road as you head into downtown Fuquay-Varina off of Hwy 55 - if you look off to your right).

The jungle gym at Action Park was fun, but it was a little high for the really little ones and didn't hold their attention for long. So we (my friend who also has a 1 1/2-year-old) had to be pretty hands on. There were batting cages the kids loved to run up and down; we ran the bases on the softball fields a couple times, sat in the dugouts and checked out the press boxes. (Mommy used to be a sports writer so I wanted to give my girls a little taste of mommy's profession.) We had fun, but after my 3-year-old picked up food off the ground and ate it while I was chasing the little one and about a dozen more trash incidents, it was time to go. I feared they would want to pick up the pretty green broken glass or worse!

Until the trash is picked up at this park, I wouldn't recommend it for toddler or preschool age kids. And beware the profanity for the older ones. After a quick call to the Fuquay-Varina Parks and Recreation Department, I learned they clean the park every day and often send someone out to paint and repaint due to graffiti. I'm not sure how thorough a job they do or if the nightly softball games at this park produce that much daily trash. Either way, I would steer clear of Action Park with little ones.

609 Wake Chapel Road
Fuquay-Varina, NC 

HIGHLIGHTS:The jungle gym was OK, lots of places to sit and well-maintained softball fields. The tennis courts seem to be filled, too, so I'm assuming they're nice. 

LOW LIGHTS: LOTS OF TRASH, including broken glass, jungle gym is a bit high, it was hard to find (cannot see the park from the road and you have to drive pretty far back to see it).

COST: Free!

Apex Community Park - Great Trail & View!

Apex Community Park is pretty nice, and the walking trail around at 50+ acre lake is wonderful. There are fitness trails, softball fields, tennis courts and volleyball courts and a lot more. That's all well and good for the "big kids" like you and me. But it's not awesome for the little ones, unless you're on a walk or bike ride around the lake on the trail.

There's also a jungle gym. It's nice enough, pretty new looking and close to parking, which is key for me and my little ones when it's time to pack up and go. But alas there are a few quirks. First, the swings were packed when we went and my little one, who prefers the big girl swing, was stuck in the baby swings. She still had fun. She always does, but there were three and four kids waiting for the other ones. I think the track-out programs/camps like to go there. Also, the jungle gym itself was clean and fun looking, but when my 1 1/2-year old tried to play on it, she couldn't get on or off it without a lot of effort. For some reason, the initial step to climb up this thing is almost two feet off the ground. And the slides and other climbing equipment was not made for the little ones. In fact, she went down one of the slides and got going so fast she fell face first into the wood mulched ground and got a bloody lip and mouth full of wood chips. So we left. I'm sure my 3-year-old would have enjoyed it more, but it was just a bit too much for Dani.

Also, unlike many of Wake County's parks, this one was not well marked. I've been there three times, and there are several entrances and I had trouble finding the different entrances all three times. You're going to want to put this one in your GPS or mapquest it.

2200 Laura Duncan Road 
Cary, NC 27511

HIGHLIGHTS:Gorgeous walking trail around the lake, friendly parents, lots of options for the older kids (volleyball, softball, tennis, basketball, picnic shelters), beautiful wooded park, wonderful 50-acre lake.

LOW LIGHTS: It's not the easiest place to find, the playground is made for slightly older kids (my guess would be 4 and older), and the swings are often pretty crowded.

COST: Free!